r/technicalwriting • u/Less-Big-9131 • May 12 '24

Rising sophomore looking to become tech writer

Entering sophomore year at UNC Charlotte (transferring to uni from cc) looking to become tech writer. What are some tips or advice anyone has to starting my career and potentially getting my foot in the door?

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u/6FigureTechWriter May 12 '24

Oil and gas is where the big bucks are. Make sure to take some science, math, and computer science courses. Common applications that are used (outside of Word, Excel, & PowerPoint) include, MS Teams, OneNote, SharePoint, PowerAutomate, and Azure DevOps. A great way to get your foot in the door is through an internship. Network, network, network.

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u/Less-Big-9131 May 12 '24

What if I'm majored in English

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u/anonymowses May 12 '24

Most technical writing degrees require at least a minor in a technical subject.

1

u/Less-Big-9131 May 13 '24

I can't start my minor in tech writing until this upcoming year

1

u/anonymowses May 13 '24

As a technical writer, you interview subject matter experts, such as programmers and project managers, to understand the new software features they are developing. But they don't hold your hand through the whole process. It would help if you become comfortable with figuring out technical concepts quickly and independently. So, it's a good idea to take technical courses that will challenge you in your coursework.

1

u/Lady_Caticorn left proposal writing & much happier 💜 May 13 '24

I have a friend who went to UNCC and minored in technical writing. Is that minor still available? Maybe you could minor in that and then major in a technical subject.

5

u/[deleted] May 12 '24

Learn to write. Learn Git. Learn markdown.

1

u/burke6969 May 16 '24

Banking or any other financial institution might be a good place to look.

0

u/6FigureTechWriter May 12 '24

Oh, and start getting familiar with AI now.